Sports Business and the Law Conference

"Bringing sports professionals together to discuss how lawyers can best serve the industry"

January 23, 2009

LESA is pleased to announce our first "Sports Business and the Law" conference, to be held on Friday, January 23, 2009, at the White Stag Building in Portland. The conference is a joint effort of the Center for Law and Entrepreneurship, WARSAW Sports Marketing Center, the Sports and the Entertainment Law Forum.

The purpose of this conference is to expose University of Oregon graduate students and Oregon-area sports business professionals to various legal aspects of the sports industry through an informative series of panel discussions.

The Portland metro area's beautiful settings and easy access to the outdoors have made it a hub for sporting goods companies. Home to Nike, Columbia, and the North American center for Adidas, as well as professional sports teams such as the Portland Trail Blazers and Beavers, Portland's position in the sports world presents questions for business professionals and legal experts alike.

How can lawyers best serve the industry? Sports Business and the Law will address some of the most compelling issues that occur at the intersection of sports and the law; from agency, to academic eligibility and the NCAA, and contemporary issues surrounding sports leagues and teams.

We invite you to join us in downtown Portland on January 23, 2009. Contact Jumane Redway for more information.

Panel Topics

The Law of Sports Leagues
Sports Business In-House Counsel
The NCAA and Legal Compliance
Contemporary Topics in Sports Business

Conference Fee

General Admission = $40
Students = $15

Online registration available until Jan 21st

Conference Schedule

Location: UO "White Stag" Building (downtown Portland) | 70 NW Couch St, 97209

Registration
- 8:30 AM - 9:30 AM
The Law of Sports Leagues
- 9:30 AM - 10:45 AM
- Sports leagues are the primary mechanism through which athletics and other types of competitions are transformed into actual businesses. Sports industry professionals must be familiar with a wide range of business and legal issues, which include and are not limited to: (a) labor/employment law, (b) sponsorship, (c) contracts, (d) licensing, and (e) merchandising.
- Panelists
  - Jeffrey Standen; Professor, Willamette University School of Law (moderator)
  - Owen Blank; Partner, Tonkon Torp, LLP
  - Mike Fennell; General Counsel, Portland Trail Blazers
  - Cara Frey; VP of Bus. And Legal Affairs, Professional Bowlers Association
  - Larry Miller; President, Portland Trail Blazers
  - Bob Beban; General Manager, Eugene Emeralds (invited)
  - Lance Lopes; General Counsel, Seattle Seahawks (invited)
Sports Business In-House Counsel
- 11 AM - 12:15 PM
- The Portland area is the proverbial Mecca of the athletic footwear and apparel industry. It is the home of NIKE, Columbia Sportswear, and is the North American hub of the adidas brand. All of these businesses, as well as other sports companies, retain in-house counsel to more effectively meet their company's legal demands.
- What unique legal issues do these sports companies face? How are their in-house law departments structured to face these special needs? And what does the cluster of sports apparel business in Oregon mean for Oregon lawyers, law schools, and law students? How must they better prepare to meet these legal needs?
- Panelists
  - Steven Bender; Professor, University of Oregon School of Law (moderator)
  - Karen Spencer; General Counsel, NIKE Golf
  - Wendy Chan; Assistant General Counsel, NIKE
  - Paul Loving; Sports Marketing Counsel, adidas
  - John Motley; Brand Protection Counsel, Columbia Sportswear
  - Matt Dyste; Director of Brand Management; UO Athletics (invited)
Lunch
- 12:15 PM - 1 PM
- Box Lunch provided with conference fee
Agents, Contracts, and Negotiation
- 1 PM - 2 PM
- Agents are important intermediaries in bringing the services of athletes to consumers.
  Although most people associate agents with contract negotiation, and while that's very important, they do much more.
  
  Other services can include: (a) counseling athletes about post-career security, (b) developing a player's marketability, and (c) advising on personal conduct issues.
- Panelists
  - Mark Phelps; Professor, UO Warsaw Sports Marketing Center (moderator)
  - Greg Nared; Principal, Greg Nared Agency
  - David Mondress; Senior VP of Basketball Operations, BDA Sports Management
  - Sonya Abraham; Agent, Sport Management Worldwide
  - Gary Way; Managing Attorney, Sports Law Practice Group, NIKE
  - Joey Harrington; New Orleans Saints, UO Football (1998-2002) (invited)
  - Alberto Salazar; Coach, NIKE Oregon Project, UO Legend (invited)
  - Sonja Henning; NIKE (invited)
Athletic Associations and Legal Compliance
- 2:15 PM - 3:15 PM
- There are numerous athletic associations within the business of sports (e.g. NCAA, Pac-10, and USOC). Similarly, there are numerous legal issues surrounding the activities, rules, and governance of these institutions, which include and are not limited to: (a) scholarships, (b) academic eligibility, (c) conduct policies, and (d) sanctions for violations.
- Panelists
  - James O'Fallon; Professor, University of Oregon School of Law (moderator)
  - Bill Clever; Asst. Director of Compliance; University of Oregon
  - LeAnne Brooks; Asst. AD for Academic Eligibility, Univ. of Oregon
  - Michael Callier; NIKE, UO Football (1997-2000)
  - Kit Morris; NIKE, Director of Collegiate Sports Marketing (invited)
  - Jim Noel; ESPN, VP of Business Affairs (invited)
  - Tim Roberts; President, Oregon Sports Network (invited)
  - Matt English; Athletic Director, Concordia University (invited)
Round Robin Panel: Current Issues in the Sports Industry
- 3:15 PM - 4 PM
- The moderators will facilitate a conversation between the audience regarding hot topics in sports business and sports law.
- Panelists
  - All Previous Panelists and Moderators Invited
  - Dr. Lynn Lashbrook; President, Sport Management Worldwide
Reception
- 4 PM - 5 PM
- Great sponsorship opportunity for a industry company or law firm